


The Vampire in the Attic

by Alixtii



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Bechdel Fix, Community: femslash_minis, Dreams, F/F, Female Protagonist, Insanity, Literary Reference, Mental Illness, POV Female Character, Pre-Femslash, Precognition, Season/Series 05, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-12
Updated: 2010-04-12
Packaged: 2017-10-08 22:03:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alixtii/pseuds/Alixtii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Of course, Fred realized, it made perfect sense that the vampire would identify with mad old Mrs. Rochester.</i></p><p>While Wolfram & Hart keeps Drusilla captive, Fred works to try to cure her insanity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Vampire in the Attic

"Here's the blood you asked for, Fred, for that headcase upstairs," said Harmony as she entered the Wolfram &amp; Hart library.

Fred looked up from her book. She and Wesley had been researching the tectonic movement of mystical convergences, and she must have lost track of the time. "Is it it time for her feeding already?" she asked rhetorically.

"Thanks, Harm," she added as she took the mug of hot blood from the vampire. She pulled a test tube out of her labcoat, removed the stopper, and emptied its contents into the blood.

"Drusilla's antipsychotic cocktail?" Wesley queried.

Fred nodded. "I'm still trying to find the right balance of drugs. There's not a lot of data with vampire subjects; I'm using John Walsh's notes from when both he and Drusilla were captives of the Nazis, but he was more interested in making sure the Germans didn't discover the secret of precognition."

"I have to admit," Wesley said, "I'd be more comfortable if you brought a guard in with you during your sessions with Drusilla."

"I need to earn her trust," said Fred. "Besides, she's insane, not stupid. She knows what would happen if she attacked me and she of all people can be sure we aren't bluffing."

"What Angel did to her human self was terrible," Wesley noted, "and I understanding you empathize with her condition. But she's a vampire now. Even if you manage to cure her psychosis, she'll still be a sociopathic killer. She'll still be a soulless being of pure evil." He glanced at Harmony. "No offense," he said wryly, with just enough irony for it to be lost on her.

Harm waved it off. "None taken."

Wesley sighed, and not for the first time Fred found herself frustrated by his protective instincts. If it were Gunn who was working with Drusilla, she was pretty sure he wouldn't be nearly so persistent. "Just don't look her in the eyes," he warned.

Fred felt like pulling out her hair, but instead just graced him with a smile and some Southern charm. "Don't worry, I've taken the proper precautions," she said. "I'm fully warded against mind control."

* * *

The guard stationed outside the door of Drusilla's suite greeted Fred without warmth. "Ms. Burkle," he said as he moved out of the way to let her pass.

Fred nodded her acknowledgment as she knocked quickly on Drusilla's door--a formality, since Dru wouldn't be able to open it herself, but she figured she owed the vampire the courtesy of at least that much warning she was about to enter--before pulling the key out of her labcoat pocket and unlocking the door and entering.

Drusilla was seated on the couch in the suite's living room, watching the large wide-screen television. Two open DVD boxsets--one for _Masterpiece Theatre_ and the other for _Dawson's Creek_\--lay open on the coffee table in front of her. Based on the period of the costuming displayed on the the television, Fred had to assume the vampire was watching the former rather than the latter.

It took a few more seconds for Fred to recognize the story as _Jane Eyre_, albeit a production she had never seen before. She picked up the remote and turned it off.

Drusilla frowned. "The delightful wife was just about to burn down the house. Such pretty flames!"

Of course, Fred realized, it made perfect sense that the vampire would identify with mad old Mrs. Rochester. Fred considered offering to bring a library copy of _Wide Sargasso Sea_ with her the next time she visited, then realized she wasn't sure if Dru could read. (Although apparently she could navigate a DVD menu just fine.)

"I brought you your lunch," Fred said, holding out the mug of warm blood to Drusilla. Dru took it, sniffed it suspiciously, then vamped out. She grimaced when she took her first sip, but kept on drinking anyway.

"Blood without pain," Drusilla said with disgust when she was finished. "Water is not so much without emeralds."

"You up for some word association?" asked Fred, sitting down on the couch next to Dru. "You know how this works."

The vampire didn't say anything, but the expression on her face clearly communicated, "I can't believe I put up with this."

* * *

"You're spending a lot of time with the vampire lately," Knox noted.

Fred looked up from her EKG reading, surprised at the sudden comment. "It's a difficult case," she answered. "It's not as if I have any sort of baseline to work from. The literature on vampire behavior is frustratingly devoid of any actual quantitative data."

Knox nodded, clearly considering his words carefully before he spoke. "I'm just wondering if maybe you aren't getting too invested in the patient," he said at last.

Fred frowned. Why did everyone begrudge the time she spent with Drusilla?

* * *

_Fred ran through the halls of the burning Rochester Manor, the conflagration spreading all around her as she made her way to the attic. She had to make sure Drusilla was alright, she told herself as she pulled her shirt up over her nose. She had to find Drusilla._

_She found the vampire at the top of the steps. "Drusilla," said Fred. "We need to get you out of here before--" but it was too late. Fred watched, screaming, as Dru went up in flames._

Fred's eyes snapped open. She was still breathing heavy even after only imaginary running, but she was in her own room, in her own bed. It was only a dream, she realized with relief.

Except--

Drusilla had impressive powers of the mind, able to manipulate people's thoughts and to see the future. Could Fred's dream have been some sort of astral projection, a message from Drusilla? The possibility that Dru could be in some sort of danger raised Fred from her bed. She threw on her eyeglasses, grabbed the key to Drusilla's door, and exited her appartment.

The night guard at Drusilla's door--not anyone Fred was familiar with--was clearly surprised to see Fred, especially dressed in tank top and pyjama pants, despite making a valiant effort to keep a neutral expression. Nonetheless, he stepped aside silently to let her pass.

Fred turned the key in the lock and opened the door without knocking, then rushed into the suite. "Dru?" she asked, the worry seeping into her voice. "Drusilla?"

The vampire drifted out of her bedroom, dressed in a sheer red negligee. "I see the moon," she said, "and the moon sees me."

Fred rushed over to her, put her hands on Dru's shoulders to verify she was really there. "You're okay," she said relieved. "I dreamed--" She broke off. It seemed silly now.

But Drusilla just pulled her closer. "Hush," the vampire said, her soft voice soothing and comforting. "Mummy's here." Fred just stood there, letting Dru hold her in her arms, hugging the vampire tightly, feeling safe. "Mummy's here to make it better."


End file.
